The space capsule, called Artemis 1, will travel for about 40 days — getting as close as 60 miles from the moon and then 40,000 miles above the moon when it orbits over its dark side — before landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, the White House announced Friday. At least 100,000 people will also line the beaches along Cape Canaveral to watch the bus take off, Florida tourism officials estimate. If the launch proves successful, NASA will send a crew to lunar orbit on Artemis 2 in 2024. Ultimately, the Artemis mission as a whole could lead to the first manned space trip to Mars, NASA says. Here’s everything you need to know about Monday’s release: The Artemis I rocket sits on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 26, 2022, ahead of its expected August 29 launch. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
When is the release?
A two-hour launch window begins Monday at 8:33 a.m. ET, meaning the launch could take place at any time during the next two hours. However, the launch may not take place on Monday morning, as NASA adheres to a strict set of weather criteria that determine whether a flight can continue. US Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 forecasters predicted a 70 percent chance of favorable weather for the Monday morning launch window, according to a NASA blog post Thursday. The launch will be postponed, for example, if the temperature at both 132.5 feet and 257.5 feet exceeds 94.5 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 consecutive minutes. NASA imposes additional weather restrictions, some of which depend on wind and humidity conditions. If the launch does not take place on Monday, a second two-hour launch wind will begin on Friday, September 2 at 12:38 AM. ET. If NASA postpones the second launch, a third two-hour window will begin on Monday, September 5 at 5:12 p.m. ET.
How do you track the launch?
ABC News will broadcast the commencement live on Monday. Coverage will begin at approximately 8:30 am. ET, right when the time window begins. ABC News may not be broadcast from the launch if liftoff is delayed before the start of the time window. Additionally, NASA will stream the launch on its website. Eager viewers can watch a continuous live stream of the launch site on YouTube.
What will the launch event include?
NASA’s live broadcast of the launch will include celebrity appearances by Jack Black, Chris Evans and Keke Palmer, as well as a special performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Josh Groban and Herbie Hancock. The event will also feature a performance of “America the Beautiful” by the Philadelphia Orchestra and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The Artemis 1 rocket is flanked by tall grass as it stands ready on Launch Pad 39-B at the Kennedy Space Center, August 26, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Brynn Anderson/AP
When does the bus return?
If the capsule lifts off Monday morning, the mission will last 42 days, after which the capsule will blast off into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Oct. 10 at 11:53 a.m. ET. If the capsule lifts off during the second launch window, on September 2, the mission will last 39 days with a Pacific dive on October 11. while a launch during the third window, on September 5, would last 42 days and end on October 17.
What’s next for the Artemis mission?
In total, the Artemis mission includes four missions, each of which will cost about $4.1 billion. In total, the project will cost up to $93 billion by 2025, according to an audit by NASA’s Office of Inspector General. If Artemis 1 is successful, Artemis 2 will take four astronauts near the moon in 2024. After that, Artemis 3 will take a crewed shuttle to land on the moon. Finally, Artemis 4 will fly to a space station near the moon. NASA hopes the Artemis mission will enable a crewed trip to Mars in the coming years.
